I am pretty sure I did everything the top. Frankly an alternator is a piece of cake. You have more of a chance of busting a battery tray bolt then you do having problems with the alternator removal and reinstall IMO.
I am pretty sure I did everything the top. Frankly an alternator is a piece of cake. You have more of a chance of busting a battery tray bolt then you do having problems with the alternator removal and reinstall IMO.
Wire brush, or dremel with wire brush attachments. Clean them up as well as you can. Soak them in penetrating oil. Then work them off carefully. Little to the right, little to the left. Repeat. Mine were that bad, and they came off. The studs are pretty solid. But cleaning the rust off first is important.
I ended up using fluted bolt extractors.
I snapped off 2 bolts, and then used an impact to get the 3rd one off.
Thank god I have one bolt left to hold the battery.
Everyone says to remove alternator from the top after removing battery tray.
Yet, the A/C lines are clearly in the way.
Have you ever removed an alternator from the top around the A/C lines?
I guess I can try to detach it and remove it from the bottom.
If I can't get it out of the bottom because of the frame rail,
I will reinstall it and take it to a professional.
I guess I can try to detach it and remove it from the bottom.
If I can't get it out of the bottom because of the frame rail,
I will reinstall it and take it to a professional.
It's tight but it will go. One way or the other . Push the lines out of the way and it'll squeeze by. Patients are a virtue, at least my psychologist said so.
Take it to a professional? No pls, anything but a professional. Just curious, did you test the old at napa before you bought a new one, or maybe get a free on board test at one of the big box stores , or even full field the alternator to see if it puts out 18V? just curious afterthoughts.
Removal from the top was a dead end, since not one thread mentions the A/C lines removal from the top.
Well, I don't have a clue how to work on A/C systems, so I figured I'd try from the bottom.
As I sat under the XJ, I pondered how the hell I would ever reinstall the alternator from such an awkward angle with only 2 arms.
Then I could not even loosen the alternator bolts. Only the bracket bolts.
Gave up, and said **** this, I cleaned the the grounds near the alternator and called it a day.
6 hours and I did not even touch the alternator.
Yet again, the XJ is complete nightmare to do even the most basic repair on.
Most idiotic location for an alternator I have ever seen on any car in my lifetime.
Even the serp belt path is a disaster where you can't even see some of the pulleys to route around.
I'll stick to working on my Bimmers. Jeeper will need a professional mechanic.
Alternators take my dog 10 minutes to do, he's a good boy. I usually pay the neighbor's child to come over and change it though, small hands and he gets it done. I'd recommend you go ask your neighbor's kid too.
Told myself "Don't get involved, let it run it's course"...decided to do an experiment.
The scientific process consists of making an observation, asking a question, form a hypothesis, make a prediction, test that prediction, and use results to either answer the question or repeat the process to get answers.
Observation: Bimmer makes a post
Question: Will this be like every other Bimmer post?
Hypothesis: I believe it will be
Prediction:: It will end like every other Bimmer post, with him admitting defeat, declaring all jeeps are impossible to work on, and should be left to professional mechanics
Test: let Bimmer continue and await expected results
Result: Bimmer admits defeat without ever really trying ot listening to advice given, then rants about how jeeps are impossible to work on and only mechanics can do it, while making more money than doctors and lawyers combined.
No need for further testing, as this same series of experiments has been happening for years here, even after multiple bans and many, MANY TOTY awards
